Report of missing hikers draws out search party

Three hikers who were the object of a search by volunteers for more than four hours Saturday night were located on Zornes Road in Adams County about 30 miles from where they started the hike, according to a report from Sheriff’s Sgt. Rick McNannay. The hikers were part of an outing sponsored by the Inland Northwest Hikers Club out of Spokane.

The three missing hikers and a dog separated from a group of 10 hikers who started the trek.

Volunteers from the Endicott Fire department were called out to search for the hikers after deputies received a report about 7:30 p.m. that they were missing. A Colfax ambulance and rescue truck was also dispatched and volunteer ATV riders had been recruited to take part in the search but the trio was found before they were activated.

The hikers started in the area of the Escure Ranch which is located along the Whitman/Adams county line off the Jordan Knott Road. The missing trio was located after they were able to establish cell phone contact with Whitcom 911 operators. They were at a residence on the Zornes Road. Nobody was at the residence, but they were instructed to stay there until searchers arrived at the location, according to Endicott Chief Randy Schmick.

They were checked by EMS volunteers and then returned to where they had parked their vehicles at the Escure ranch.

Zornes Road intersects with the Benge-Winona Road about a mile west of the Whitman/Adams line.